Bonjour, comment allez-vous?

No, don’t worry, the rest of your October newsletter will be in good old plain English but, without wishing to sound like one of your old school teachers, I do hope you are practising your French and looking forward to that wonderful day when you can have a reasonable conversation in French with your local shopkeeper/café owner: as I always say, integration and communication are vital when it comes to moving to France, never mind the huge buzz you will get from being able to communicate in another language…..

I have been working hard on my soon to be launched FULL VERSION France Property Buying Guide and – dare I say it – I am very proud of it. The new guide will be launched any day now...so I'll send you an eMail when it's ready for sale. France’s popularity as a country to move to is growing as we speak: the old entente cordiale remains not only intact but positively thriving!

Good preparation is the key to any successful move and we are here to make your path to France problem free. We aim to guide you along the way with sound advice from the moment the idea of going to France is born in your head until the day the keys of your new property are handed to you – and thereafter!

And you know, it is not only us here helping you – good old President Sarkozy has given a real boost to France’s property market which can only mean good news for us Brits. He has dramatically increased the inheritance tax threshold from €50,000 to €150,000 per parent for each child. Imagine: it is estimated that as many as 95% of France’s population will no longer pay any inheritance tax on the death of their parents and these changes will be of great interest to British homeowners in France too.

So read on to discover more about what you can expect from your new life in France, how to plan your removals successfully and how best to find special travel offers for you and your family and friends, who will no doubt be itching to pay you a visit…..

And remember...I can help you to find a good property agent in France. Just fill out our short property form by clicking on: http://www.francebuyingguide.com/property.htm

A stunning village in the Dordogne – the market square. Kim and I had lunch here!

Beginning life in France: what should you consider?

Completion Day – and the days after……..

I remember a great feeling of exhilaration as the notaire handed me the (huge) key to my new French home. The signing of the Acte de Vente had taken a while, with every single sentence and every minor clause being read out somewhat ceremoniously by the notaire. I then drove with my daughter Natasha like the wind (well, as fast as the French roads would permit me….) up to Montjoi and excitedly put my key in the old door.

Now this may sound strange, but Natasha and I made it a policy to only speak to each other in French during her year abroad from university in Paris (honestly: we just about managed it too!) – and this was within that year. So in she went and, being the first time she had seen the house, I heard whoops of joy and exclamations in French roughly translated as:

“Oh wow, this house is fabulous, look at the view, look at how old it is, it’s so beautiful, why didn’t we do this before, look at this, look at that….”

My point in telling you all this? To show you that completion day is an exciting and defining moment which should be enjoyed to the full. Give yourself a mighty pat on the back for getting this far!
Now you are in, what next?

Well, I have “been there and done that” and I have come up with some tips to make your new French house into a proper French home. They are in no particular order, just little hints to make your transition as stress free as possible, whether you have emigrated or simply bought a second home:

• Go and see the maire. Your maire will be a good starting point to your successful integration into your new French community. He or she will know pretty much everything there is to know about the area, what fetes/events are being held and will be a fund of knowledge about where to source various items for your home. It is well worth becoming acquainted.

• Introduce yourself to your neighbours. Don’t be worried about your French not being up to scratch yet: a friendly smile accompanied by “Bonjour Monsieur/Madame” will work wonders – and another small tip: ask each one who they suggest contacting next. You will soon find out who is friends with whom!

• Invitations: take the initiative. You might like to host a drinks evening: the French love their “apero” and will probably come out of sheer curiosity, if nothing else! Best to phone or put a note through their door, the French can be somewhat formal in this regard.

• Buy your local newspaper. I always make a point of buying the local rag: it is a wonderful source of general information with each little commune often being listed with snippets of local news along with events/fetes/sales/concerts etc. Ok it will be in French, granted, but have a look, discuss with your neighbours and you will be surprised how much you can glean from it (besides numbers and dates are pretty much the same!).

• Shop locally, at least to begin with. Ok, it may be a little dearer than the huge supermarkets but you will get to know your local shopkeepers this way and may even bump into some of your neighbours. Chit chatting in local shops is common in France and don’t forget to say “bonjour” as you go in, not only to the shopkeeper but to your fellow customers.

• Don’t discount your local church. Most popular towns and villages have a church and a lot of larger ones have Anglican Churches. You don’t have to be particularly religious, many churches welcome newcomers to town offering advice and assistance.

• Speaking and learning French. As I always say: VERY important! There are lots of ways to learn, the best advice I can give you being to totally immerse yourself in the sound of French, whether out and about, watching TV or listening to the radio. Think about it: this is how you learnt your Mother Tongue, by listening. News bulletins are good, the speakers are often clearer and more concise than, say, in a debate or a film. Again, ask your maire about French courses: there are bound to be one or two in your area, the French are used to us Brits now being dotted about their country.

• The Connexion Newspaper. This is an excellent English language newspaper especially published for expats in France, comprising French news and practical tips, profiles and features especially for English-speakers in France. Order a free trial copy at www.connexionfrance.com

Special offer: Overseas Guides subscribers can receive 14 months subscription to The Connexion for the price of 12. To receive the promotion enter the code OVERSEAS when subscribing.

• Help and Assistance generally. There may be a day when you feel a little homesick but help is at hand! There are many associations of English speakers in France, especially in cities and popular areas with the Brits such as the Dordogne, Brittany and some coastal areas. You could also have a look at British consulates around France at: www.amb-grandebretagne.fr

Like many things in life which are new or changed, things may seem a little confusing at first and much though France is our close neighbour, it is a very different country with a different culture and different ways. The key is to embrace these differences, not fight them. Some of the bureaucracy and formality may be frustrating, granted, but if you take delight in many of the French ways, and remember why you wanted to buy in France in the first place, you will be on the road to a successful life in France.

Getting Your Money to Your Destination

by Smart Currency’s Charles Purdy.

There are a lot of advantages to using a currency company such as Smart Currency Exchange; better rates, a one to one service, proactive management of currency requirements... the list goes on.

But one of the major advantages sometimes overlooked is that, as well as being experts in foreign currency, Smart Currency Exchange are also experts in transferring money. This may not seem such a big deal but getting a transfer wrong can be a hugely time consuming and frustrating experience to rectify.

The details required for transfers seem to vary from continent to continent and we have a clear understanding of what is required. If there is something unclear or lacking we would ask our client to clarify: better to get it right the first time.

Transfers of the Euro have become much easier with the advent of what is called the IBAN number. This number is unique for a specific bank account and it can be checked for validity before sending the funds. The only time I have experienced a problem was when a client’s lawyer gave him a wrong but valid IBAN number. Thankfully this was realised very soon after the transfer and we were able to correct error with no loss of time.

Time is also an important element when making a transfer. The whole banking system is based on a time period of two days for transfers. The reason for this seems to be one of logistics and coordination between the banks [or am I being naïve and it is really a way for them to make more money?!]. This two day period still applies to most transfers but for the US$ and Euro we can now transfer with a same day value. Needless to say there is a cost, but we absorb it – no hidden charges at Smart!

I hope the above is of help. It is the unglamorous side of the business but an actual key component in ensuring that our clients are properly serviced.

And what is happening with Sterling and the Euro?
Sterling lost a little bit of ground against most currencies last week – thus it was NOT a good week. There is no clear reason why this was the case and I think it was more likely a situation of better news elsewhere. The UK housing market seems to be slowing which will affect consumer confidence. We also wait for the Bank of England minutes which will, hopefully, give a clearer picture of how they view the economy, inflation and interest rates. I suppose we should be pleased that there have been no further “Northern Rocks” this week.

The Euro sits at an inter bank rate of €1.435/£1 and continues to benefit from strong economic data and not just from Germany. French and Italian industrial data has also been good. It has to be remembered that a lot of exports head east rather than west. The economies of India, Russia and China are all on the up and imports from Euro land are not, at this stage, being unduly influenced by what is happening to the US$/Euro exchange rate. The euro is likely to have the upper hand for a while and it seems like a good time to bring funds back.

To get a Better-than-Bank rate go to: http://www.smartCurrencyExchange.com/smartsquotation.htm
or call Carl on 08081 630 102 freephone.

How can I ensure my holiday home will be ok when I am not there?

Ah, well here is where your good neighbours come in! Once you are established in your new home and community, you should be able to find someone local who will pop in occasionally.

As far as the practicalities go, here is what I do: I have my bills such as EDF, water, taxes, phone on direct debit with my bank in France. I let my friends know they are welcome to use the house so, if I am away for longish periods, at least I know these times are broken up by others using my home (only those you trust with your life naturally!). Whenever I go I have a big clean up, sort out, leave windows open etc. and attend to anything that has gone wrong (my boiler sprung a leak back in January but I managed to get a local chap who helped me to source a new one, fit it etc.).

As I said at the beginning, following on from that, the best thing really is to have someone such as a neighbour or friend to look in on your house, perhaps take the mail in, generally keep an eye open from time to time. In my case I have very nice neighbours next door who do this for me. I also, through another friend, met a chap who is a general handyman and does my garden, has put up shelves etc. Then his wife offered to do a spot of cleaning up. So I think the main answer to your question is that you need to get to know people in your village/area who will be able to help look after your property whilst you are not there. You could also go to the local mairie and ask if they know of anyone. A good motto: if in doubt, ask the maire!

Getting yourself and your tenants/family to your holiday home

Air France

On the Air France website you can book airline tickets, flights and a hotel along with renting a car. Like British Airways, you can enter the dates you would like to travel and then view a calendar that allows you to choose other days that offer lower (or higher) cost flights. I really (and I mean really) like websites like this as they allow you to save money. Provided you are flexible with your flights, you have the opportunity to save tones by going on different days.

Side note about the Site...if you click on the Air France link above and then go to ‘About Air France ’ and then click on ‘History,’ and then, ‘Click Here to Enter,’ you will find the most remarkable presentation. I can’t believe that anyone actual goes to view the ‘History’ but it’s well worth the show… Once you click on the link a page loads up starting off with early 1900’s period music and a time-line of the company…along with a video showing old fashion footage in the back-drop of a airport terminal window. It’s well worth a view… it really is clever! Click Here to visit Air France.

British Airways

I have never looked for flights to France due to the low-cost carriers: however, someone mentioned that they were doing really good deals. Well – let me tell you…I cannot recommend more highly the entire process of buying and flying with British Airways (and that goes for flying anywhere in the world).

To begin, I booked my tickets over their website and it was totally awesome. You can specify whether or not you can fly +/- 3 days or +/- 7 days in order to see the various prices on each day. By booking this way, I found that it was £100’s of pounds cheaper to go out on a Saturday rather than a Sunday. If I hadn't known this, I would have simply booked the days I originally had in mind or used a low-cost, no frills carrier.

Then…when I arrived at the airport, all I had to do was go to a machine that looked like a cash machine (hole-in-the-wall) and enter the Credit Card I had used to purchase the tickets. After about 3 minutes of answering the security questions on the machine, my tickets popped out and I was instructed to go to the baggage drop-off point. Holy-flippin-smokes!!! The entire booking in process took no more than 7 minutes.

I highly recommend BA if you fly anywhere…they truly are a class act!

Travel Booking Webservices
I use the following two websites when I want to compare the prices that different airlines offer. It's easier than calling a travel agent as you simply enter your preferred dates and let the website work its magic. With both Opodo and eBookers I have never experienced any problems.

Opodo

This website is also fantastic. It’s easy to use, the online system checks all the airlines flying to your particular destination and then ranks them according to price, dates or whatever you want them to be ranked by. The tickets are sent out automatically or you can often get electronic tickets. I’ve used this company at least 14 times and have not once been disappointed. The only thing I don’t like is that you can’t see the prices if you travel 1 day earlier or 3 days later as you can on British Airways.

eBookers

eBookers is an excellent site. You can book flights, hotel, car rental and anything else to do with travel. The site is easy to use and I find the prices very competitive. When booking flights I often check this one and Opodo. eBookers sends out eMails if the flight changes so I always feel confident that I know what's going on.

Any suggestions on flying to France? Please drop us a line on our France Buying Guide Forum: http://www.FBG-Forum.com

Getting your personal items to your destination

Is it best to buy furniture in France or ship it from the UK? This answer will depend on your particular circumstances. If you're planning on a complete relocation to France, you may want to use a shipping/removals company. However, if it's a second home, I would highly suggest buying your furniture in France.

In the new France Property Buying Guide (being released very soon), this is what I wrote about buying furniture in France:

"Now comes the fun part: home making! When I bought my home in the Tarn et Garonne I managed to negotiate to buy some of the furniture too – a good tip as many French people have pieces totally in keeping with the type and age of property. I am so glad I did this: of particular note is a fine large oak dining table and 8 chairs.

However, making it your real home, with your own stamp on, it is great fun and a most pleasant and somewhat ongoing experience (I am still always on the lookout for knick-knacks at local “vide greniers” or fetes).

Furniture really is best bought in France: there are amazing bargains to be found if you are up for travelling around the various “brocanteurs” (second-hand merchants). You will find that even brand new furniture is likely to be cheaper than in the UK and in any event, it may well look out of place in your French bolt-hole.

Did you know that France has the third largest home improvement market in Europe after Germany and the UK? This is great news and you will see that almost every town or large village has a great general little “home” store selling the most delightful pieces for your French home. I am always on the look out for beautiful linens, candles, old kitchen clocks, pretty vintage storage boxes etc. Somehow the French seem to have great taste when it comes to home making."

If you are moving furniture to France from the UK and would like me to put you in touch with a good removals company, please check out our resources form at: http://www.francebuyingguide.com/resources.htm

Closing Statements

Moving anywhere is a big deal, moving abroad an even bigger one. I have received many wonderful testimonials from my readers about our France Guide such as:

“Just wanted to say a big thank you to you and Kim for the guide- not only for the useful tips and advice along the way that I am convinced has made my experience the more sound and trouble free, but looking at the euro today you have saved me thousands and as I passed the link on to my friend he has just saved £600 in his exchange!

I wish you every success with the guide- would have made lots of silly mistakes without it.

Lotta”

One lady said she carries the France Guide around with her everywhere she goes, it has become her “bible” – praise indeed! If we have achieved one thing, it will be easing your path to your new life in France.

Remeber - I can help you personally. Just fill out our short property form by clicking on:
http://www.francebuyingguide.com/property.htm We continue to pride ourselves here at the France Buying Guide on providing a unique and individual service to our readers.

We love to hear your stories so don’t forget our France Forum at http://www.fbg-forum.com/
Send us your experiences and others may benefit from what you have learnt!

A tres bientot!

Alexis (and Kim!).
France Buying Guide/ Overseas Guides Company
mailto:Alexis@francebuyingguide.com Phone 020 7898 0549